Bruins 3, Rangers 2 … post-game notes

– The Rangers were defeated by the Boston Bruins, 3-2, today at TD Garden, to conclude their five-game road trip with a 3-2-0 mark.

– The Blueshirts are now 13-13-0 overall (26 pts), including a 9-8-0 mark on the road this season. The Rangers are 10-6-0 in their last 16 games.

– The Rangers have posted a combined record of 5-4-0 in back-to-back games this season, including a 3-2-0 mark (2-1-0 on the road) in the first game of the set.

– The Rangers and Bruins have been separated by one goal in 21 of their last 26 meetings, including six of the last seven games.

– The Blueshirts’ penalty kill was 2-2 (1:35) in the contest, and have now held opponents scoreless on the power play in eight of the last nine games (22-23, 95.7% over the span).

– The Rangers out-hit the Bruins, 33-26, including 16 players credited with at least one hit in the contest and seven players with three or more hits.

– Today’s loss ended the Rangers’ streak of 101 consecutive regular season games recording at least one point when leading after the second period (95-0-6 over the span). According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the Blueshirts’ streak, which began with a 3-1 win on Feb. 6, 2010 against New Jersey, was the longest in the NHL since Washington recorded a point in 103 consecutive regular season games when leading after two periods from Feb. 26, 2009 to Jan. 27, 2013.

Player Notes:

– Henrik Lundqvist made 25 saves and is now 8-11-0 overall, including a 4-6-0 mark on the road this season. He has now started in 29 consecutive games against Boston, dating back to Jan. 13, 2007.

– Rick Nash notched a goal, two shots, and two blocked shots in 19:15 of ice time. He has now registered three goals in the last five games, and is five points shy of 600 career NHL points. Nash has recorded four points (one goal, three assists) in five regular season games against the Bruins since joining the Rangers.

– Ryan McDonagh tallied a goal, and was credited with three hits and two blocked shots in a game-high, 27:10 of ice time. He has now tallied 11 points (five goals, six assists) in the last 16 games, including three points (two goals, one assist) in the last four.

– Brad Richards recorded an assist and won 8-16 faceoffs (50%) in 17:20 of ice time. He has registered a point in each of the last two games (one goal, one assist), and now leads the Rangers in scoring with 18 points (seven goals, 11 assists) this season.

– Derick Brassard tallied an assist and logged 15:04 of ice time. He has now registered a point in each of the last two games (one goal, one assist), and has recorded a point in each of his last three games against Boston (one goal, two assists over the span).

– Carl Hagelin registered an assist, and was credited with three hits and two blocked shots in 16:20 of ice time. He has recorded six points (three goals, three assists) in eight road games this season, and 11 points (five goals, six assists) in 16 games overall since returning from injury on Oct. 29.

– Ryan Callahan tallied an assist, tied for the game-high with four shots, and was credited with two hits in 18:32 of ice time. Eight of his 10 points this season have been recorded on the road (five goals, three assists in 12 road games).

286 Comments

What value is there in something that can be done 100+ times in a row? Now when the Rangers succeed 101 consecutive times where they have a 50-50 chance of success in each case – THAT would be a story.

I think it’s clear that AV’s style of play creates more offensive chances. The problem is that this team lacks real finishers. Sounds like AV is resigned to the fact that there’s nothing he can do about it because they’re “a .500 team”. Looks like this is it.

Yeah, a depressing state of affairs. I don’t like those Boston Bruins (nasty cousins who eat beans instead of berries). Back to hibernation for me. See you in May or June. ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

Richie’s next goal will come from a shot bouncing off the boards, banging off three players, hitting a skate, bouncing up and hitting the goalie in the head while he’s spinning sideways. SalmonJoe will say “he’s really coming around.”

We once again got the urine beaten out of us in Boston. These games are difficult to watch. I find myself wanting somebody to do something to respond, when that is precisely what they should not do. Still, seemed like some of the guys shrank away from the physical challenge today.

This is the year to trade a 2nd, a 3rd, and a conditional next year 3rd for an old, oft-concussed, slow, big player because we are so close to being a contender. You know Uncle Glenny has already made the calls.

That was a nice 1st period by Nash. Then, when he realized Boyle got rag dolled, he, MacD, Girardi, Staal, and a whole slew of them withdrew. Always nice for your teams biggest player to be used as a mop.

Had to miss the game but DVR’d it and just finished. Yikes, thanks to Rask’s gifts in the 1st period, this game ended a lot closer than it should’ve been. Nice to see AV not hold back with his postgame comments too, he’s 100% right.

Stars of the game? McD, Nash, and Hank (only because it feels wrong to give it to Pouliot, who just might have played one of his better games this year)

in NYT article today the writer wrote that Torts lost team when he benched Richards last season in POs. If this is even remotely true, there is a bigger problem with the culture in the ‘room’.
Right now the two guys wearing the As are playing like crapp. If AV keeps Richards at center, this team goes nowhere and he gets what he deserves.
Its deja vu all over again!

manny – you have any !9th century Madeira? At the end of every semester, we have a couple (2 of my colleagues over and we celebrate with a bottle that has ranged from 1844 to 1888…..really pricey, anywhere from 300 and up per bottle……but its so byfuglien good….